If you have arrived at this article, We can safely assumed that you are likely to have a WiFi coverage issue at home. Let us break it down for you to help you choose the right WiFi range extender.

Not all WiFi routers are created equal and not all homes are the same. If you have a signal issue only in certain rooms at home then it’s likely that you will need a WiFi Extender. But, like routers and homes, not all WiFi Extenders are the same either. So how do you pick the right WiFi extender?

Before we delve deeper, let’s take a quick look at what a WiFi Extender does. Seen as a repeater or rebroadcaster, the WiFi Extender links the router to the end-points be it your tablet, laptop or smartphone by rebroadcasting the signals both ways. It does mean that you are flooding your living space with more radio waves so it does make the airwaves busier. But the end result is, you get good coverage where you need to and the Extender would have done its job.

How to Pick the Right WiFi Extender?

Let’s look at some basic points to consider when choosing the right WiFi Extender to work with your Router.

Frequency – Single 2.4GHz or Dual Band 2.4GHz and 5GHz support. Majority of WiFi range extenders works on the single 2.4GHz frequency spectrum. More expensive WiFi extenders support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. You may choose to save some money by going for the single band. If you router supports Dual Band and you wish to take advantage of this then the more expensive dual band extender may be for you.

Standards Compatibility – IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n orIEEE 802.11 b/g/n orIEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac compliant. Standards compatibility is somewhat linked to the frequency and age of your router. The easiest thing is to look at the specifications of your router and check the standards that it supports. If in doubt, choose a universal extender that works with any 802.11 a/b/n/ac routers. Compatibility is key to ensuring better integration between your router and the range extender.

Profile – Desktop or Plug based, no external antenna, dual antenna or more, these are some of the considerations in terms of physical outlook of the device. Wall plug based WiFi range extender take the least amount of space as all you need is a free socket on the wall. More advanced WiFi extenders are designed for the desktop. In many ways, it looks like another router with either external antennas or built-in antennas. Place it on a flat surface taking up a bit more room.

Security – we can safely say that current range extenders support WPA2-PSK security protocol, one of the highest level of security available to home users. However, it is always worth checking just to be sure to keep your network safe and secure.

Manufacturer – you would expect the range extender from the same manufacturer as that of the router would work well together, this all depends on the frequency and standards above. If the router works on 2.4GHz and 5GHz, an extender that works on those frequencies from the same manufacturer would be ideal. Similarly if a router is IEEE 802.11 abgn complaint, a likewise range extender would work a treat. There is always the technical literature and specifications to fall back on to confirm that both router and range extender play well together.

Cost – this is often subjective and all we can say is go with the best WiFi Extender you can afford, that will perform best with your router and offers the best performance for the money you will spend.

Ports – availability of ethernet port for wired connection. Most plug based extenders have one or two ethernet ports. Desktop based extenders can have up to five ethernet ports perfect for devices that do not have WiFi connectivity such as an old desktop, printer or IP camera.

Performance – Apart from the range, the performance of WiFi extenders can be easily be identified by the bandwidth. While this is limited by what your router can support, it offers an easy way to understand the maximum throughput and bandwidth it is capable of supporting. These are labelled as follows:

DESKTOP WIFI EXTENDERS

Here are five best desktop WiFi extenders for those who have the space on the desk for this. Our selection of the best desktop WiFi extenders supports single or dual band and a variety of bandwidth. For the most up to date price from Amazon, click on the links to our line-up below.